Sigma Designs to offer HDR10+ in STV7803/4 UHD HDR Chipsets

July 13, 2017 --

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FREMONT, Calif., July 13, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Sigma Designs® (NASDAQ:SIGM), a leading provider of Smart TV platforms and IoT devices, announced today that universal HDR chipsets STV7803 and STV7804 will now support HDR10+ . Samsung Electronics recently introduced this new open standard (ST.2094-40) for high dynamic range (HDR) video called HDR10+ that leverages dynamic metadata to produce enhanced contrast and colors, making television pictures more life-like.

HDR10+ is an open-standard, royalty-free protocol and part of SMPTE2094 technology standards, which adds scene-by-scene Dynamic Tone Mapping. This innovative feature adjusts brightness levels in real time during video playback, continually optimizing picture quality to the degree achievable by each individual display panel using it. HDR10+ is an evolution beyond the original HDR10 specification, adding dynamic metadata as opposed to static metadata. In practice, HDR10 compromises picture quality particularly for darker and brighter scenes as a single static setting is used for the entire duration of the content. In comparison, the metadata in HDR10+ Dynamic Tone Mapping continually adjusts the range of brightness, adapting in real time to specific scenes or even individual frames. With HDR 10+, dark scenes are darker, bright scenes are brighter, and visual content is dramatically more compelling than through the static single setting of HDR10.

According to a new report from Strategy Analytics Intelligent Home Group, annual worldwide sales of HDR-enabled TVs in 2020 will reach 58 million units, bringing the number of homes with at least one HDR-enabled TV to 107 million. The report further projects that HDR TVs will reach nearly 25% of homes in the US by that time frame.

?We are delighted to work with Samsung to bring this exciting advancement to our latest UHD chipsets, stated Alfred Chan, Sigma Designs vice-president of marketing for smart TV products. ?While most competitors are working on their first generation of HDR solutions, our STV7803 and STV7804 UHD TV SoC are designed with Sigmas 3rd Generation of High Dynamic Range and Wide Color Gamut designs. Sigma 3rd generation HDR engine is highly programmable. It allows fast implementation of the latest SMPTE 2094 standards including Samsung and others. By working with Samsung, Sigma has proven the completion and flexibility of Sigmas HDR engine.

?As an industry leader, Samsung is always innovating to develop the best technology. HDR10+, which is a new open standard (ST.2094-40), will bring to reality a more ?life-like picture than ever before, said Kyoungwon Lim, Vice President of Visual Display Division at Samsung Electronics. ?We are delighted to expand our leadership in HDR technology by collaborating with Sigma Designs and we will bring support for HDR10+ to their range of powerful and feature-rich chipsets.

Sigma Designs, Inc. (NASDAQ:SIGM) is a world leader in enabling smart home convergence. The company designs and builds the essential semiconductor technologies that serve as the foundation for the worlds leading Connected Smart TV platforms and Internet of Things (IoT) for smart home devices. For more information about Sigma Designs, please visit www.sigmadesigns.com.

Sigma Designs and the Sigma Designs logo are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Sigma Designs, Inc. and its subsidiaries in the United States and other countries. All other trademarks mentioned herein are believed to be trademarks of their respective owners

About Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.

Samsung inspires the world and shapes the future with transformative ideas and technologies. The company is redefining the worlds of TVs, smartphones, wearable devices, tablets, digital appliances, network systems, and memory, system LSI and LED solutions. For the latest news, please visit the Samsung Newsroom at http://news.samsung.com.

Safe Harbor Statement This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 including statements about the potential benefits of the Sigma Designs STV7803/STV7804 system on chip solution, as well as statements regarding technical aspects of certain standards, products and technologies. Actual results may vary materially due to a number of factors including, but not limited to, the accuracy of any technical description provided herein, as well as general economic conditions, including the rate of adoption of the STV7803/STV7804 and any standard referenced in the release, Sigma's ability to deploy and achieve market acceptance for the STV7803/STV7804 system on chip solution, the ability of Sigma's other SOC products and technologies to compete with products or technologies, as other risks that are detailed from time to time in Sigma's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. In particular, see Sigmas recent quarterly and annual reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, copies of which are available online and by request from Sigma. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof. Sigma undertakes no obligation to publicly release or otherwise disclose the result of any revision to these forward-looking statements that may be made as a result of events or circumstances after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.